His One Fear
by RainbowRaven
Summary: It's a storm to remember in Ikebukuro. Thunder rumbling, lightning crashing. Definitely not anything Shizuo Heiwajima wishes to be out in- who would? But, after receiving a call from Nami he is forced out into the cold abyss of falling rain, only to find Izaya, alone and... terrified? Hinted Shizaya, story is much better than description.


-This fanfiction can also be called "Never Letting You Hear the End Of This" but that was really long. PLEASE ENJOY!

The night was quiet in Ikebukuro. Too quiet, in fact. Many people referred to it as the "calm before the storm". Shizuo always had a certain soft-spot for storms.

He could do without the loudness of them, but when the rain made gentle pitter-patter sounds against his window, he much enjoyed being able to admire it. Shizuo would watch the rain run down his window like tears. The smell of a storm would linger through the air.

But, thunderstorms were something different. He didn't fear them, nor dread them, but they limited his activity and the crashes of thunder never failed to annoy him whilst he was trying to write or sketch- two hobbies he had picked up during his break at the bar.

A shiver racked through Shizuo as a cool wind whipped through the night, reminding any remaining people to take shelter before the storm began and took its victims.  
"This was a stupid idea!" He chided himself, pushing through the wind to get to his destination. He was going toward the Carnival that has been going on for about a week now. Shizuo wasn't going there for his own amusement, but because Nami- for some unknown reason- had called him and said it was imperative that he meet her there.

Shizuo had reluctantly agreed, but if he had known a storm was about to brew in he would've put up much more of a fight.

His gaze lingered upwards at the dark sky above him. Black clouds ready to burst buckets of rain loomed over him. They looked as if anyone could pop them open just be breathing too heavily. Any moment now it would be a downpour. Shizuo averted his gaze and looked ahead to his destination. "This better be important." He muttered under his breath, not caring if anyone around him thought him strange for talking to himself.

At least he had put on a warm coat. The bar wasn't open on Sundays, so he sported somewhat of a casual attire. A white dress shirt, crisp blue jeans, black boots, his sunglasses still had their rightful place upon his nose, and he was wearing his navy blue coat that he hugged close to him, trying to savor any warmth it promised.

Off in the distance he could make out a glowing, flashing sign that read "Ikebukuro Carnival" in yellow letters. Shizuo broke into a jog, not able to get to the entrance fast enough. He had to dodge numerous people whom were fleeing the festival before they got engulfed in the storm.

Others stayed, not letting some silly rain ruin their fun at the festival that only came to town once a year. What morons, thought Shizuo. It's obviously going to be a storm to remember. Who wants to go on roller-coasters looking like a drowned rat? He'd never understand some people.

Avoiding being shoved as much as possible, Shizuo stopped as he reached the Carnival. His eyes scanned the fair, but so far he couldn't see Nami anywhere.

Shizuo moved onward, determined to believe she was here somewhere. Why would she call, claiming it was so important for him to come if she wasn't serious? Shizuo highly doubted Nami called just to get him out in the rain. Yes, she hung out with Izaya often, but she'd never stoop to his childish level.

That stupid flea.

"Great," Shizuo breathed, "Not only am I going to get pelted by rain for someone that may or may not be here, but now I have that idiotic little pest on my mind." The hatred that Shizuo felt for Izaya was sure enough to keep him warm despite the breeze nipping at his face, making his nose red and numb. Shizuo streamed through rides and people, skimming faces.

How hard is it to find a girl in a bright green sweater and a red skirt?

"Only me." Shizuo said, angrier at himself then anything or anyone else. "Only me." Finally, he resorted to calling her and asking her if she was even here at all. He fished through his coat pocket, searching for his cell-phone. This was the fifth one just this month. He kept accidentally crushing them every time Izaya called. Feeling something hard touch his fingertips, the blonde retrieved his phone.

He searched for some sort of temporary shelter so as to not get his phone wet. Shizuo doubted it was water proof, and he didn't want to take the chance that it would start raining while he was talking to Izaya's assistant. The wind pelted him, almost knocking the phone clean out of his hands. Clenching it tightly, he flipped it open. "Better make this quick." His fingers flew to each number, and then he held the phone to his ear and plugged his other one with his finger in a futile attempt to block out all the noise.

It rang one.

Twice.

Three times.

"Nami here."

Shizuo breathed a sigh of relief to hear the familiar voice answer. "Nami! It's Shizuo. I'm at the carnival, but... Are you? You specifically told me to meet you." He explained, practically yelling over the chaos going on around him. When Nami answered, Shizuo heard chaos in the background of her surroundings as well. "Yes, I'm here. I'm right beside the Rock N' Roll." She was also yelling to be heard above the noise.

Shizuo was aware of what the Rock N' Roll was- it was a ride that he, himself quite enjoyed. You sat down in a circular-like chair-one seat on the left and another in front of you-and you went around and around, whilst your circle was turning.

Luckily he didn't get nauseous easily like a friend of his that he had a while back. He had pink hair, but Shizuo couldn't really remember his name. He thought it started with an N...

Pulling himself back to the matter at hand, Shizuo nodded, and then remembered she couldn't see any of his physical actions over the phone. "I'll be there shortly." He pulled the phone away from his cheek and almost pressed "End Call", but stopped short when he thought he heard Nami speak. "Did you say something?" He asked quickly.

Nami exhaled slowly.

"Be prepared."

"Prepared? Prepared for wha-" A busy signal sounded.

Grunting, Shizuo snapped his phone shut, then headed toward the Rock N' Roll. He saw the sign before the actual ride, so he began sprinting in that direction. Minutes later, he arrived. Nami was there just as she had promised, leaning against the entrance railing.

Upon seeing him, she waved and gestured for him to come near. He did, running faster.

"I'm here," Shizuo stated in between pants. Nami nodded. "I can see that." 

Shizuo shifted his weight, fidgeting impatiently. "Well?" He began. "Why did you have me come all the way out here when it's about to-" Droplets hit his shaggy blonde head.

"...rain." He finished with a sigh.

The droplets soon turned into buckets, and soon enough it was pouring. Lightning split through the once calm night, loud crashes of thunder following not far after. Nami didn't even flinch. "Do you remember your last talk with Izaya?" She asked, somewhat randomly. Shizuo gave her a look, face twisted in confusion. "Uhm, well, yes." He answered, blinking.  
"But what does that have to do with-"

"It was a few days ago." She cut him off, waving her hand, completely ignoring him. Shizuo let her, pursing his lips and listening. "You both fought over fears because he saw you jump due to a spider..."

~~~Flashback- Four Days Earlier~~~

Shizuo dropped the vending machine that was about to be hurled at Izaya's smug face. Izaya was hanging by a street lamp, struggling to climb atop. It was Shizuo's perfect opportunity to get the flea-he was hopelessly dangling-but he had stopped so suddenly.

Izaya's hands burned with protest. He couldn't hold on much longer. He squirmed and grunted and gasped, but he couldn't lift himself. He wasn't about to go out by plummeting to his death. How boring that would be. "A-Ah! Can't...hold on...nnng!" Izaya gasped as he felt his fingers slipping.

He looked down at the ground- Or, more accurately, at Shizuo, who was backing up in fear. Despite himself, Izaya raised an eyebrow. What was Shizuo doing? Whatever had spooked him, Izaya couldn't see. Izaya wasn't exactly scared of falling to his doom, but disappointed. When he died, he wanted it to be exciting. Fearlessly, he took one hand away from gripping the top of the streetlamp and grabbed the pole part, wrapping his legs around it as well.

"One...Two...THREE." He counted.

Izaya let his other hand go then slid down the streetlight as if he were a fireman, jumping off before he reached the ground.

Shizuo was still taking careful steps backwards, eyes fixated on a certain spot in the middle of the road they had begun to destroy. "Hey, hey, hey!" Izaya yelled, waving his arms. "Shizu-Chan! Hey! What are you staring at, you protozoan?" He had a look of frustration on his face, since Shizuo had abruptly stopped the fight he was secretly enjoying. Izaya followed Shizuo's gaze.

All he saw was a little black spider.

On its tiny, skinny eight legs, it neared Shizuo. The blonde brute continued backing up, fear dancing in his eyes behind his shades. Izaya looked to Shizuo, to the spider, then back at Shizuo. There was no doubting it. Shizuo was staring at nothing other than the spider. It wasn't one of those big hairy ones, either. It was just a small black spider.

Izaya went into a hysteric fit of laughter. He couldn't breathe! Tears formed at the corners of his eyes and he fell to his knees, unable to hold himself up. He's never laughed so hard in all of his life! "G-G-Good God, Shizu-Ch-Chan!" Izaya laughed. This was just too good! Blackmail never tasted so sweet! 

"You're scared of a spider! You are! Ahaha! This is just great!" Izaya tried picking himself up off the ground, but it was a useless attempt.

Shizuo's face flushed a light shade of pink. He glared daggers at the short man that was laughing on the ground before him. "It's poisonous!" He said, trying to keep some of his shattered dignity. Alas, Izaya might as well have taken a bulldozer and crushed his dignity even more so. "No, it's not!" He said, laughing still. Izaya wiped a stray tear of laughter from his eye and walked to the spider.

Shizuo tensed, waiting for the spider to latch onto Izaya's face and snack on his flesh. Nothing of the sort occurred- unfortunately for Shizuo. Instead, Izaya knelt down and held out an open palm for the bug. The spider crawled into it without hesitation and stayed, not biting, just staying.

Izaya shot a smirk at Shizuo.

"Aww~" He cooed to the spider in his hand. "I think he likes me. Perhaps I should keep him and name him. But what... what... what could I name him..." Izaya was enjoying Shizuo's reaction far too much as he stalled, holding the spider out and making sure Shizuo could see it.

Shizuo shook ever so slightly, fear of the demon in Izaya's hand growing by the second. Maybe if he bolted out of here fast enough-

"I got it!" Izaya's voice broke Shizuo from his thoughts of escape. "I'll name him Shizuo the Second! In honor of uncle Shizu-Chan~" Izaya's triumphant smirk grew as he took quick steps towards the terrified bartender in front of him. Every time Izaya took a step forward, Shizuo would take a step back. It filled Izaya with very much pleasure to see his enemy in such childish terror!

"Come on, Shizu-Chan." Izaya said, thrusting his hand outwards, knocking Shizuo down without even having to touch him. "Don't you want to hold your new nephew? He doesn't bite." Izaya chuckled. "Probably."

Shizuo was frozen in mock fear, unable to talk around the knot in his throat. "I...I...I..." Was all he could manage. Izaya laughed loudly. He stuck the spider right under Shizuo's nose. "Say hello, Shiz-" Izaya stopped and blinked. "Shizu-Chan!" His smirk found his face once more. "Where are you going?" He called after Shizuo with fake disappointment as Shizuo bolted up and ran.

"Away from you and that demon!" Screamed Shizuo over his shoulder.

Izaya laughed harder and waved, even if Shizuo had his back to him. "You know," He called, "I'm never letting you hear the end of this!"

~~Now, In the Present~~~

Shizuo blushed crimson as he recalled the story. "Yeah..." He grumbled. "I remember." He looked at Nami. "But what does that have to do with anything? In fact, what does that pesky flea Izaya have to do with anything?" He crossed his arms.  
He was going to be less then displeased if he came out here and was now soaked through and through just to talk about Izaya. The mere thought made his stomach churn.

He had only been out here a few minutes and he already looked like he stepped right out of a pool. Shiver after shiver ran up and down his spine. He waited for Nami to answer his query. "Well. Izaya, Mairu, and Kururi all came here today. Mainly because Mairu and Kururi wished to do so."

"Why do I care?" Shizuo snapped, still shivering. If he didn't have such inhuman strength, he thought the wind and rain would've surely knocked him over by now. Nami turned her head away from Shizuo's jaded gaze. "Go to the Tunnel Of Love." She whispered.

Shizuo could have just feinted right then and there. "Excuse me?"

Nami sighed, exasperated as if it was clearly obvious what her motives were.  
"Shizuo. Trust me." She pointed outwardly. "Go to the Tunnel Of Love. You'll understand why I said it was so imperative for you to come here. Now." Her voice was stern and almost as cold as the rain pelting him like tiny rocks.

Shizuo groaned. "Fine. Fine. Just because it'll get me out of here faster. The sooner I get home the better. Being out here like this is sure to earn me a cold." Disregarding anything else Nami might say, Shizuo began running in the direction she pointed.

Best not argue with her. As long as I get to go home soon, he reasoned.

Soon enough, he spotted the Tunnel of Love. It had been closed off because of the storm, as most rides have been as well. The yellow "Keep Out" tape was strewn about it, but that had never kept Shizuo at bay before. The Tunnel of Love was surprisingly long. Much longer then he expected it to be, but in a way he was thankful, because it made it easier for him to see in the distance.

Shizuo stepped up to the entrance and gazed inside.

He couldn't tell if the walls were painted black or the night was just so dark that they seemed that way. The water that had once been on the ground was gone for the most part, but there were still puddles haphazardly sparkling about. Ledges were on each side of the wall like wide pathways, probably for the people who work here to climb on and put more water in. Shizuo ducked under the "Keep Out" tape and stepped inside.

"Hello?" He called, listening to see if anyone would respond. The cold seemed magnified in the tunnel, making him shudder even more so. Stopping, he took off his wet sunglasses. He didn't need them in the darkness, and he could hardly see through the large splats of raindrops. He gingerly tucked them in his pocket. "Ugh, why did Nami want me to come in here, anyway? I don't see any-"

"It can't g-get me... Not while I'm small... and huddled... It won't get me... It won't... It won't..It-" Thunder sounded like God bowling and getting a strike in the sky. A whimper echoed off the walls of the tunnel. Shizuo's eyes widened. The voice sounded so familiar, yet completely different and strange at the same time.

Could it be?

No, that's impossible. Unthinkable, even. Why would he be in the tunnel, whimpering?

"Hello?" Shizuo called again, louder this time. He walked onward, trying his best to avoid any puddles. He walked as quietly as he could, but his black boots defied him by making click-clack sounds on the ground of the tunnel.

Shizuo scanned the two sides of ledges, looking for a sign that someone else was in here with him. "Hello? Is someone here? Hello?"

"Just rain. Just rain. Nostalgic rain. Nostalgic rain... It's nature... It happens... It's nature... It happens..." The voice continued, starting its own mantra of sorts. Whoever was in the tunnel had obviously been crying by the way their voice wavered.

'I know that voice.' Shizuo thought. 'I know I do. But it can't be him. It's too out of character.'

He continued on.  
Shizuo narrowed his eyes in an attempt to see better in the dark. Up ahead, Shizuo thought he spotted something. It didn't fit in with the flat walls. Was that something a someone Nami wanted him to find? It was a black figure curled up against the wall.

It seemed out of place and it shook like a leaf. "Hello!" Shizuo called once more. "I'm Shizuo Heiwajima! Are you alright?" He neared the trembling figure. As he got closer, he could tell it was male, with a hood of some sort up over his head. Was... that... fur along the hood?

No.

Absolutely not.

"Sir? Are you alright?"

"Get away from m-me... G-Get away... Go... N-" Thunder rippled through the night, shaking the world. The figure gasped and whimpered, holding back his cries as tears streamed down his face, keeping time with the rain falling from the sky. Soft sobs were heard through the tunnel if Shizuo held his breath-which, he was in fact doing. He hadn't realized he was until he let it out in a slow and steady wisp.

The rain seemed louder in the tunnel because of the acoustics, causing the males shoulders to tremble more so.

It looked as if he was convulsing.

Shizuo couldn't stand to see someone so afraid. A wave of pity washed over him and he was surprised he didn't fall over. Quickly, Shizuo grabbed the man by his shoulders and gave him a slight shake- not enough to hurt him, but enough to get his attention. "Sir-"

"I said leave me _alone_, you _protozoan_!" Shizuo got his hands smacked away by other, shakier hands.

Izaya Orihara looked at Shizuo with cool, jagged eyes.

He was trying to look fierce, but the tears pooling out over his dark irises made him look nothing more than a frightened child. Izaya was pale with terror and his eyes were clouded over in fear. "Get away from me!" He screamed again, making sure to stay close to the wall.

At seeing Izaya's face, Shizuo expected the feeling to wash away and be replaced by a sense of joy, or victory at seeing his worst enemy reduced to tears, but the feeling of pity never once even faltered.

After their fight and Izaya's victory with the spider, Shizuo swore to himself that he was going to find Izaya's worst fear and hold it over him in the worst way possible. He even told Izaya of this ingenious plan.

Izaya had laughed and said, "Yeah, well, I'd just like to see that. Tell me when you find it, alright, Shizu-Chan?" Then, he had winked with such a smug little smirk plastered on his face Shizuo wanted to smack it off right then and there.

But now, seeing Izaya so scared he could hardly move, Shizuo couldn't help but feel sympathy for the dark haired man. "Come on," Shizuo said, not taking his eyes off of Izaya. "Let's get out of here." Izaya shook his head. "I told you to leave... multiple times... Leave, before I-" Another lightning strike, then thunder not more than three seconds after. Izaya yelled out and put his hands over his ears and squeezed his eyes shut.

"M-Make... Make it stop... Make it stop... Pl...Please... Make the rain stop..."

Shizuo couldn't believe his eyes, or his ears for that matter. Izaya sounded so hopeless, as if, for once in his life, he isn't the one in control. There was no smart alack remarks, no smirks, no winks... Just tears, whimpers, and shudders.

"You and I both know the rain isn't going to stop just because you will it to. I don't know how long it will last, but it's obvious it's not going to even think of quitting any time soon. It could last all night for all we know." He looked at Izaya.

His face was in his knees and his arms were wrapped around his legs, his hood still up. Izaya continued to tremble and waited for Shizuo to continue, giving Shizuo confirmation that Izaya knew he was right.

"I didn't think it was going to pour down this badly, so I walked here. Without an umbrella, I might add. But if we run, it shouldn't be as bad." Izaya said nothing. Shizuo sighed in annoyance. "It's better than just sitting here, crying and shaking like a baby."

Izaya's head shot up and he glared at Shizuo. "Shut up, you dirty Neanderthal. This is much worse than some silly little spider." He squeezed his own wrists before continuing. "Don't think me weak, either. This only happens when it storms terribly, like it is tonight. I'd try to deny the fact that I'm terrified of them, but-"

Another BOOM from the thunder, making Izaya whimper and gently rock back and forth in a steady motion.

"...But, as you can see, that would be pointless." He buried his face back in his knees, making his voice sound muffled as he did so. "I'm not moving. Go out there and get struck by lightning, or get pneumonia and die slowly. I don't care. Just..." He looked up then. Shizuo expected a rawer of anger, but instead he got a whisper of pleading. "Just leave me alone."

Shizuo looked over at the entrance. It was raining sideways out there, pelting anything and everything. They would be soaked to the bone within seconds if they stepped outside. Plus, every lightning or thunder would have Izaya tumbling to the ground in terror. They would get nowhere with that plan. Squinting, he noticed everyone had left- even the people working. The carnival must have been shut down due to the weather conditions.

That explains the lack of light.

He looked back at Izaya- or, the shaking mess that was once Izaya. "You know." Izaya looked up at Shizuo, who had begun speaking again. "You're a real stubborn jerk sometimes, you know that?"

Izaya blinked, but quickly shook the surprise out his features and, instead, replaced it with anger. "I don't know what you-" His sentence-and his breath-got caught off abruptly.

Shizuo hunkered down and sat beside Izaya. He took off his jacket- though still a bit wet, it was better than nothing, and every bit of warmth helped- and draped it over Izaya's shoulders. Izaya would never saw it out loud, but the jacket calmed him, if only the smallest bit. It didn't smell like the alcohol Shizuo had to work around almost every day, but it smelled like Shizuo himself.

It smelled like fancy shampoo most girls' purchase and fresh rain. Izaya involuntarily leaned into it and clutched it close to himself.

A thank you was never given.

"I never expected my first camping trip to be like this." Shizuo muttered. Izaya looked at him and a ghost of his regular smile almost fluttered over his face. "This is your first camping trip?" He asked, a twinge of the old Izaya back in his voice.

Shizuo snorted. "Yeah, Dad wasn't the Father-Son type. Tough love kind of guy, I guess you could say..." He deflated ever so slightly. Anyone who isn't around him often-so anyone other than Izaya-wouldn't have caught it.

But he did.

Izaya tried relaxing, feeling a bit calmer. Though, not by much. "He was more than tough love." Izaya stated, looking forward as if he knew. He said it like a fact, like the answer of two pl;us two. Shizuo turned to him.

"So was yours." 

Izaya tensed again. "Is this supposed to make me feel better?"

Shizuo let out a short laugh.

"Why would I want to make you feel better, Flea?" He punched him in the arm. It was supposed to be a fake punch, but with Shizuo's strength it felt like a real one. Izaya sucked in a breath, but wasn't about to tell Shizuo it hurt. He wasn't going to be considered anymore weak then what was probably already etched in Shizuo's mind.

"You're being strangely nice to me, Brute. Maybe you're already sick." Izaya and Shizuo's eyes found one another's.

Shizuo shrugged and quickly looked away, happy it was dark enough to conceal the pink that dusted his cheeks yet again. "Yeah, well..." He searched his mind for a reasonable explanation. "...I don't like this Izaya. This-This sad Izaya... This... depressed Izaya... This... scared Izaya..." He looked down.

Izaya was about to say, "But you don't like normal Izaya, either." But for once in his life, he figured he could hold in a remark.  
Just this once.

Taking his time inhaling and then exhaling, Izaya closed his eyes.

A silence hung in the air like fog for a few moments with only the sound of the heavy rain outside to fill the space until a loud clap of thunder sounded. Izaya folded in on himself again and covered his ears, rocking for the second time. "It can't get me, it can't get me, it can't get me..." Came another mantra. Shizuo looked at Izaya and looked at how small and child-like he seemed right then and there. Being a bodyguard, he swiftly put his arm over Izaya's shoulders and pressed him to his chest. Izaya's eyes snapped open, and he glared upwards at Shizuo.

"Hey, let me go! I'm not just some kid you can hug to make feel better! Release me, you imbecile!" Izaya struggled against him, but Shizuo was determined. "You calmed when I hugged you." He said in all seriousness. Izaya pursed his lips, unable to stop his own blush from spreading. Without another word, Izaya leaned into Shizuo's side. It _was_ calming. He sighed slowly and closed his eyes.

Today had been quite hectic.

"I hate you, Shizuo." Izaya murmured in his side, as if to clarify.

Shizuo chuckled. "I hate you too."

Minutes flew by. The rain still pounded hard and thunder and lightning still lit up the sky, but Izaya didn't shake quite as much. Before he even realized blackness had washed over him and dragged him into sleep, he felt a nudge from Shizuo. He cracked his eyes open and rubbed small pieces of sleep from them. "Nnnnh..." He moaned tiredly. "How long have I been asleep?" Izaya sat up a bit, getting out of Shizuo's grasp.

It was still dark outside. Shizuo stretched his arms. "Only a few hours, actually." Izaya nodded, too tired to really be surprised. The silence rang in his ears, making him hum a bit. "It's so quiet."

Shizuo quirked an eyebrow, smiling. Though, once he realized it, he quickly frowned again.

Izaya blinked.

"It's so quiet!" He restated, but this time with excitement in his voice. "It's stopped raining!" Izaya looked out the window to make sure he was right. Everything was soaking wet, but the rain, along with the thunder and lightning, was in fact gone! "Which is why," Shizuo started, standing. "I woke you up. I didn't want to stay in the tunnel anymore then I need to." He gazed out the entrance, waiting patiently to leave.

Izaya smirked.

"Why, Shizu-Chan?" He stood up and laughed, taking Shizuo's jacket off his shoulders with two fingers and dropping it to the ground, where it fell in a heap.

"Afraid that there are spiders in here?" Izaya crossed his arms and walked a few steps closer to Shizuo. He turned to look at Izaya, eyes narrowing.

"Maybe." Was all he said whilst he plucked his jacket back up and put it back on.

Izaya laughed again.

Shizuo ignored how obnoxious it sounded and began walking out, Izaya not far behind.

"Miss me, Shizu-Chan?" He said cockily. "I know you much prefer _this_ Izaya, right?" He walked beside him and studied his reaction.

Shizuo said nothing.

Instead, he gave a smirk of his own.

"Izaya."

He stopped in his tracks and looked the dark haired man straight in his ruby red eyes.

"I wouldn't be so smug if I were you."

"Oh? And why is that?"

Shizuo's smirk widened as he turned his back to Izaya and continued walking.

"Because I'm never letting you hear the end of this."


End file.
